A question about blacking out

[Cosette]

Hi all. Still new here but I have a question. How is it possible to spend an evenng with family(after drinking some wine),drink a bottle of wine at bedtime then not remember ANYTHING from that evening and the family didnt seem to notice I was drunk--and they would have told me. This has happened more than once!

Also--does getting Campral throw up red flags to your insurance?

[hart]

A question about blacking out

I have blacked out many a time. Yes, as a long time drinker they are probably USED to u being buzzed. It's amazing how we can work on auto-pilot, and scary too. There are some strong opinions about getting Campral or other anti-drinking drugs thru one's health insurance. I didn't hestitate but I don't know if it will bite me later. Some will only buy from out of the country. Sorry I wasn't more helpful.

[Cinders]

A question about blacking out

Cosette,

I flew from Newark NJ, through Atlanta, changed planes, got into Huntsville, got my bag all blacked out. Don't recall one second of it. (A very dim recollection of getting another glass of wine in first class...) I came to when I got to my car. I turned around and went back to the airport and checked into the hotel. I was so lucky I did not drive home!!

Yes, Campral is used purely for Alcoholism. It will be a red flag for insurance. In my case, I gave up hiding it since I ended up checking into rehab the day after above incident.

Cindi

[Cosette]

A question about blacking out

Blacking out

Would I be better off--insurance wise just using the natural products and not getting a prescription? WIll Kudzu do it alone?

[Finding Me]

A question about blacking out

It is amazing what we can do while we are drinking or drunk...just because we have done it so many times I guess. My family would pretty much always know though but I drank for 15 plus years. It is scary to wake up and not remember excactly what happened the night before exspecially if you have kids, what was promised, that kind of thing. I try and remember all those bad things that happen when I feel a strong urge to drink.

I went over seas because I was/am nervous about what may show up on the insurance or health record now and in the future that may be damaging. Just depends on the person I guess. I am sure there is suppose to be some king of confidenteality (sp.)...just not sure how much and how secure it is. Good luck to you on what ever you decide.

F-Me / 23 days AF!

[charlee]

A question about blacking out

Cosette
Auto pilot, like that Hart...I too spent most of my adult life waking up with little or no memory after having conducted what I thought were very normal conversations. When morning came, if he brought up the previous nights conversation, hubby didn't really seem to notice my memory loss...although I must say I was a master at cover up!!!

[PJ]

A question about blacking out

I've heard (or maybe I read it somewhere) that blackouts are caused by lack of glucose to the brain. How/when/why some folks have them and others don't seems to depend on a whole slew of variables. But Insulin resistance (hypoglycemia) probably tops the list.

Also:
- body weight compared to amount consumed
- body fat to mucle ratio
- how much you ate (before, during, and after)
- what you ate (GI inhdex/load)
- amount of water consumed (before, during, and after)
- alcohol tolerance
- excersized before drinking (this uses up blood glucose, and the liver can't metabolize it while alcohol is in the system)

[Cosette]

A question about blacking out

blacking out

WOW I cant believe I have dealt with this alone for so long. I guess I am not alone. Amazing. Thanks for your responses.

[trixietrack]

A question about blacking out

Hi Cosette my suggestion is that you try supplements and vitamins and the kudzu and l-glut first. and see how it works by itself, then move on to campral if you are not getting results.
Then thing with vitamins and kudzu, is that it may take a bit longer to see the effects, so you need to be patient.
I have blacked out maybe on 3 or so times. I do have a friend who blacks out quite often, I have been out with her when this happens, she just seems a little drunk and a little too happy but nothing strange.
The morning after she will ask when we got home and how. I am always shocked that she doesn't remember hours and hours of us being out together, because she seems coherent.
She has driven like that and ended up in strangers homes many times, but there is no way to approach her and tell her to please try to cut down or quit. She gets really belligerent.

Can insurance companies just not pay if they think it's alcohol related? what if you go through a therapist? shouldn't this be confidential?

[ratana]

A question about blacking out

Re: insurance, I may be paranoid (!) but even though I am in a group plan, and covered by my husband's employer, there may come a time when he changes jobs or his company stops offering insurance. Then, if I have to apply for individual coverage, they get to ask for a ten-year medical history and get the records from my doctor and previous insurer. I recently read that Kaiser declined coverage to a man who quit smoking sixteen years ago... because he had previously smoked. So I am hesitant to let the insurers know that I have a drinking problem....I finally have my liver functions in normal range, and my cholesterol and blood pressure is very low, so why give them any excuses, if you can afford the meds?

As to blackouts, if your family is as boring and irritating as my in-laws are, perhaps the blackout is a blessing...

[Cosette]

A question about blacking out

Blacking out

I am getting Capral from my therapist who suggested it over topramax.
I see her tommorow and will ask about insurance issues sine we have the same insurance.

The blackouts amaze and scare me. I have started writing things down in case I dont remember. I never know when its going to happen tho,

[ratana]

A question about blacking out

The scary thing for me with blackouts is that i see my grandma, who was a raging alcoholic (and I do not use that term lightly) for many years. She retired in her early 50s from a government job and basically drank 7&7 every night until blackout. Her memory started to go in her late sixties. She was diagnosed with Korsakoff's syndrome (sp?) which is a form of dementia CAUSED BY alcohol abuse. Basically her synapses are fried. She does not have Alzheimer's and recognizes me and my brother and my cousins, but she is now 89 years old and remembers nothing that has happened in the past, oh, forty or fifty years, including that she had a daughter (my mom) who died in 1989. She is on state assistance, has no money and lives in a nursing home that reminds me of a zombie movie every time I visit. I am forty, I do not want to do that to myself and I don't want it to happen to you.

[beatle]

A question about blacking out

Blackouts are a typical thing for heavy drinkers, but not all suffer in the same amount. I have had quite a few in my time, but not very many in comparison to what I drank. As in your case, nobody seemed to notice, and I became quite adept at covering up.

Here is an IMPORTANT item of information: "Research has shown that alcoholic blackouts are caused by insufficient levels of tryptophan... it also underlies depression and sleeplessness they are experiencing." (this comes from the book "Seven Weeks to Sobriety").

Of course, the best is to just stop drinking... but while you are working on it, tryptopahn supplementation could be helpful (in many ways).

[Cosette]

A question about blacking out

blacking out

Thank you all. This is very interesting. Other than from turkey where do you get triptopahn?

And sleeplessness......yet another issue

[Beaches]

A question about blacking out

Blackouts. I have had them and hate them. I also would hate waking up and not having any memory of putting my kids to bed or myself. Would wake up and carry on as usual. I also know that you can blackout a lot quicker when on certain medications and their interactions.
When I was on Topa I ordered it from an online pharmacy.

OK Ratana I had to laugh at this "As to blackouts, if your family is as boring and irritating as my in-laws are, perhaps the blackout is a blessing..."